My story: (I’m writing this not to seek attention for myself but for all of those individuals out there that have ever been told, “It’s too risky,” “I don’t think you have it in you”, or “You will never succeed.”) When I was 16 I got pregnant, a couple of years later I sat in the audience as my friends graduated from high school, I got a job, got a couple of certificates and thought that there was no hope for me, no way too change, no way to get a head, I had accepted that my life would never change ,and that I would keep moving forward wishing and hoping for more. I was a statistic! Then around 2009 one of dearest friends began college. She was also a young mother, and someone who has went to hell and back in life and survived. She inspired me, my husband stood by me, and in 2010 I started college. I had no high school diploma, no GED, was scared shitless, had no idea what I was doing, and was certain that I would fail. However, as one semester past, and another, I realized I was challenged, I was learning and seeing things from different points of view, so I kept pushing on. Until April of 2012, when my world fell apart and my daddy died, the day of his funeral I found out I had past my GED. I had a choice, I could give up, or push though, and finish like he would have wanted me too. So I just kept going. I have failed a couple classes, only to retake them again. I have suffered great losses, have cried, screamed, and doubted myself. Through it all I have learned that just because you fail, it doesn’t make you a failure. It simply means, you try again. So tonight as I walk across the stage I do so with a 3.2 GPA, and an acceptance into a university. Most importantly I am going across that stage for the individuals that have supported me. For the young mothers doing the best they can, For my daddy bear, for my mother, for my sister, for my kids, for my husband who dared to be different than the rest, For the people who have inspired me to keep going, who believed in me, who kicked my ass when I needed it, for those young and old who dare to take a risk , who are scared shitless but do it anyway. Remember it is your choice to change, your choice to be just another number ,if you want to do something do it, you just may surprise yourself.
Posted on: Thu, 15 May 2014 15:08:17 +0000